How to apply

Applicants must prove that the land has been used by a significant group of people in the neighbourhood for recreational pastimes, like picnics, games, fetes etc, for 20 years or more as of right (without the permission of the landowner).

What happens next

We’ll check your application and if we need more information we’ll contact you.

If your case isn’t straightforward, we’ll ask a qualified inspector to look at your application. The inspector will recommend if the land should be registered as a town and village green.

In complex cases, the inspector will hold a public inquiry to decide whether the land should be registered. In these cases the final decision is taken by our Public Rights of Way and Greens Committee (PROWG) which takes into account the inspector’s recommendations.

PROWG is a committee of councillors from all political groups represented on the council.

Cost

There’s no cost for an application to register a town or village green. However, there will be costs if you have legal representation.

How long it takes

An application to register a town or village green can take up to a year.

Landowner statements and deposits

Landowners may at any time make an application under the Highways Act 1980 identifying paths over their land they admit to having been dedicated as highways (if any). This is known as a Section 31(6) deposit.

The lodging of a deposit under Section 31(6) Highways Act 1980 may protect land from claims made by members of the public to add any extra public paths to the Definitive Map and Statement, which are based on evidence of public use.

Landowners can also protect their land from its registration as a town or village green, following long term recreational use, by submitting an application under the Commons Act 2006.